Clyde Aikau, legendary Hawaiian waterman, has died. He was 75. Photo: Instagram//GoFundme//Aikau Ohana
Clyde Aikau, legendary Hawaiian waterman and younger brother of Eddie Aikau, has died. He was 75 years old.
According to a release from the Aikau family, Clyde passed away peacefully at home in Waimanalo on Saturday evening. He is survived by his wife Eleni, his son Ha’a, his sister Myra, and his nieces and nephews. Clyde’s loss is an enormous one for the entire surfing community.
“I gonna miss you Dad,” Clyde’s son Ha’a wrote on Instagram. “I know you’re having fun on your new adventure like you said and I promise to represent! Happy to have called you dad! It’s bye for now and I’ll see you again one day!”
Clyde, the youngest of six, was born in 1949 on Maui to his father Solomon, who was known as Pops, and his mother Henrietta. When Clyde was 10 years old, the family moved from Kahului to Oahu.
“Clyde and Eddie were the closest of brothers, sharing a passion and commitment to family, Hawaiian culture, and the ocean,” the Aikau family wrote. “They both served as North Shore lifeguards; voyaged on Hokule’a (separate voyages); rode giant winter waves at Waimea Bay; and were famous for their impromptu slack key guitar sessions that they shared with family and friends around the Islands and the world.”
When his brother Eddie died in 1978, Clyde made sure to continue on the legacy that Eddie had built for the Aikau name.
“Clyde followed through with his lifetime commitment to perpetuate Eddie’s legacy and contributions to big wave riding and Hawaiian culture,” the family continued. “In 1986, Clyde won the inaugural Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational at Waimea Bay, in tribute to his brother. He continued to surf in the event every year it was held up to the age of 66 (2016), forging an unrivaled big wave legacy all his own.”
Clyde’s life was a storied one. He was a Waikiki beachboy and an education advocate for much of his life. “He was a liaison between the Department of Education and houseless families and children in Hawaii to ensure they had access to school supplies, transportation, and ultimately education,” the Aikau family explained.
Clyde’s recent years weren’t easy ones, health-wise. He battled both heart issues and pancreatic cancer, but despite those challenges, with the help of his family and loved ones, he maintained the optimism and excitement for life that he was known for. Even while he was working through his health issues, he maintained the duties he had taken on, including ensuring the Eddie big wave event in his brother’s name was successful.
“The Aikau family wishes to express its deepest gratitude to the community of Hawai’i, and their extended friends and family abroad, for the heartfelt wishes they have received at this time,” the family’s release finished. “Details regarding upcoming services for Clyde will be announced when confirmed.”
Clyde’s loss leaves a gaping hole in the global surfing community. His contributions to surfing (especially holding up Waimea Bay as an iconic location in the sport’s history) cannot be overstated. Thank you for everything, Clyde. You will be sorely missed.
